Question about ... something I can't put in the title

  • If you're asking a question make sure to set the thread type to be a question!

tyler

aa
Sep 11, 2013
5,102
4,621
My question is: is it possible to create an arena map that, when you start a round, looks completely different?

The only way I can think to do this is to copy the map entirely in Hammer, retexture it entirely, and then somehow make both teams spawn in the same "version" when a round starts.

So you could have an alpine theme, a desert theme, spytech, snow, medieval, farm... and the one you play depends on what one the RNG chooses.

Is this possible, maybe through some other way?

(I guess for these purposes ignore file size.)
 

TMP

Ancient Pyro Main
aa
Aug 11, 2008
947
560
There's a KOTH map that's doing this. Ask void about it.
 

PL-7764

L6: Sharp Member
Aug 4, 2009
376
84
I've wondered about something similar, but on a smaller scale - having an arena in which different obstacles are present for each round. After each round the layout would change for the next, with a new set of props - and maybe even walls - appearing.

The best solution I could come up with was making all the props prop_dynamic (override if needed), possibly a few func_brushes (or whatever can be moved with a separate func_door) for movable walls, and linking them to func_doors parallel to the floor that raise/lower based on input from some sort of math entity setup that I don't know how to build. Depending on the number spat out by the setup, a different func_door would be raised to ground level while the other two descended into a hidden area below. After each round the number increases by 1, selecting the next set of props to raise from the floor. After all the layouts are used up it resets to the beginning, and starts all over.

I've never tested this as I've never known how to set up the logic entities and such. I imagine it would be rather expensive for the engine with all the props being dynamic. Still hoping to try it sometime just to see if it works though.

It doesn't change the map theme like you want (your best bet with that is just to do separate maps altogether I think), but it would make for some slightly more dynamic gameplay.
 

tyler

aa
Sep 11, 2013
5,102
4,621
The reason I don't want to set up a ton of maps is because I want to make a tiny arena map that changes theme.

Maybe that's what Tachyon does to go through time?

vooooiiiiiid help
 

Terwonick

L6: Sharp Member
Aug 25, 2010
278
190
guys, your pretty well describing what a TC map does, with a few twists, it would work easy. On a/the round start, TC maps choose two random #'s, of the 4 in the middle, and then use those #'s to decide what barrier's are open, including the spawns. That's the only way I can think of making what your describing...
 

tyler

aa
Sep 11, 2013
5,102
4,621
In an idea world the game would just decide which pre-chosen texture set to use, but that sounds like something impossible.

And yeah, TC is not what I am going for. PL might be able to make that work though.
 

Seba

DR. BIG FUCKER, PHD
aa
Jun 9, 2009
2,364
2,728
Make however many copies of your map, then theme each one differently. In the first copy, name all the info_player_teamspawns blu1/red1, in the second blu2/red2, and so on. Then set up an ent system that picks a set of spawns (blux/redx) and enables them at the end of each round. Bam.
 

A Boojum Snark

Toraipoddodezain Mazahabado
aa
Nov 2, 2007
4,775
7,669
No, actually he is very unwise. Players spawn before ANY entity logic occurs, so you cannot control spawn location with that. After a round ends the whole entity system reloads to default too, so you can't have things lag over. Thus, the statement about TC is correct. The best way to accomplish this would be doing a multi-round map that picks rounds at random, but there is no overall goal, you can never "win them all"
 

tyler

aa
Sep 11, 2013
5,102
4,621
Sounds hard.

I am thinking I won't do it after all anyway, after thinking about it more.